NEA joins Everytown for Gun Safety, AFT to call on lawmakers to adopt proven strategies to make American schools safer

February 13, 2019

The National Education Association is joining the Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund and the American Federation of Teachers to call on lawmakers to stand up to the gun lobby and take immediate action to finally start protecting our schools from gun violence by implementing strategies that are proven to help improve school safety. The organizations have released a report, available here, that includes new data detailing gun violence in American schools, and provides clear guidance for lawmakers to support policies that have proven to be effective at preventing gun violence and supporting safe and healthy learning environments.

Gun violence in schools is a complex issue, and the report provides a clear roadmap for how to tackle the problem from multiple angles, outlining strategies proven to help improve school safety, including:

Policies proven to help keep guns away from people who shouldn’t have them in the first place, such as responsible firearm storage laws, laws that raise the age to purchase semiautomatic firearms and requiring background checks on all gun sales;

Red Flag laws, which allow families and law enforcement to intervene and temporarily restrict a person’s access to guns when there are clear warning signs they pose a threat to themselves or others;

Improving the physical security of schools with proven tactics like installing internal locks and limiting the number of entry points and who can enter schools;

Supporting the health of students by creating safe and equitable schools and by providing more counselors to help increase mental health services and social emotional support in schools; and

Intervention strategies that can be implemented by school districts, including threat assessment programs that train educators how to safely and effectively intervene when there are signs that a student is in crisis or poses a risk.

“There is nothing more important than protecting children, and providing every child safe, nurturing environments for learning is vital to upholding that promise,” said Becky Pringle, Vice President of the National Education Association. “Gun violence haunts far too many communities and has infiltrated far too many schools. Thoughts and prayers simply aren’t enough to keep our students safe. We must do better. This report sheds light on the stark realities around school shootings. Lawmakers can no longer sit on the sidelines as children die. They must find the courage to act now to provide common sense solutions to keep guns out of the hands of those who want to use them to massacre innocent children and educators.”

“We can’t expect America’s students to learn and thrive if they don’t feel safe — and we can’t expect them to feel safe if we aren’t doing everything humanly possible to prevent school shootings,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “It’s time for lawmakers to support school violence solutions that are grounded in proven interventions — not political calculations.”

“When the safety of our kids is at stake, we must consider every possible solution to gun violence in schools,” said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. “That means focusing on the approaches that are proven most effective: providing schools the necessary staff and resources to address students’ mental health needs; empowering educators and law enforcement to intervene when students show signs they could be a danger; and keeping guns out of the hands of people who shouldn’t have them in the first place. If other countries have solved these problems, so can the United States. But we have to want to listen to law enforcement, educators, parents and students, rather than the gun manufacturers and their allies. This report offers important new data about the horrific school shootings that have plagued our communities, and details interventions with real track records we can do right now — including safer firearm storage laws, stronger background check requirements, and basic school security upgrades to help make schools safer.”

MORE INFORMATION:

The report also provides a comprehensive overview of what gun violence in American schools looks like, exploring key statistics such as:

Since 2013, there have been at least 405 incidents of gunfire on school grounds, resulting in 109 deaths and 219 injuries.

The majority of incidents of gun violence in K through 12 schools — 56 percent — are homicides, assaults and mass shootings. Since 2013, these incidents have resulted in at least 73 deaths and 174 non-fatal gunshot injuries.

Approximately 20 percent of gunfire incidents in K through 12 schools were unintentional, resulting in at least one death and 32 non-fatal gunshot injuries.

Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund seeks to improve our understanding of the causes of gun violence and the means to reduce it – by conducting groundbreaking original research, developing evidence-based policies, and communicating this knowledge to the American public. Learn more at www.EverytownResearch.org.

A message from President Bell

My name is Debra Bell and I am the president of WEAC Region 1. I am very excited to be leading our region again this year. I have taught for 34 years at Boyceville Community School District. I have been secretary, vice president, head negotiator, president and have served on the executive board for both the region and the state. There are many exciting things happening in our union, in our locals, in our region, and in our state! I would like to encourage each member to get involved and commit to doing at least one thing or more this year. It can be as simple as going to WEAC.org and taking time to look at what is happening. Or try to attend a meeting, read our newsletters, and "like" our facebook site. I chose to step up because I'm confident that you will too!

Our executive board, our Region 1 staff directors, and our secretary work hard to meet all of our needs. They have stepped up to take leadership roles in our region! It would be wonderful if all of you also made a commitment to get involved, too. Join the conversation. Help us help each other! We really love what we do, and the more people who come to meetings, attend events, and read our Facebook site, the the more unified we are and the stronger we become!

In Solidarity,
Debra H. Bell
Region 1 President

WEAC News

Constant communication and outreach are the keys to keeping the Beaver Dam Education Association strong, BDEA leaders told WEAC Vice President Peggy Wirtz-Olsen in her latest Spotlight on Locals column. “We work to educate our members on how to be an active member and how to get involved on the district level,” said Past President Kris Schumacher, a middle school art teacher.

WEAC is a co-sponsor of Every Teacher a Leader training June 25-26 in Madison. Teacher leaders are the heart of successful schools. Every Teacher a Leader promotes, supports, and grows teacher leadership and voice. Develop your ideas and meet others who can support you along the way. Register by March 29!